Irvine, California, United States, July 2025 – Wanda McKenny has been appointed as the new Vice President Human Resources at Edwards Lifesciences, a global leader in structural heart disease and critical care monitoring innovations. In her new role, she will lead enterprise-wide HR strategies to support Edwards’ patient-focused mission and innovation-led growth.
Prior to joining Edwards, Wanda served for nearly six years as Vice President of Human Resources at Sagent Pharmaceuticals, a $450M pharmaceutical company focused on injectables and biosimilars. She stepped in after a five-month vacancy in the role and led the HR function through complex integrations, pandemic transitions, and strategic repositioning following the company’s acquisition by Elimist. She enhanced the HR team, implemented hybrid work infrastructure, and strengthened HR’s position as a strategic business partner.
Before Sagent, Wanda was Vice President of Human Resources at Loyola Academy, where she established the school’s first-ever HR department in its 100+ year history. Her work led to measurable results, including a 7-point increase in employee engagement and a 50% improvement in hiring efficiency. She aligned the HR strategy with the school’s long-term mission and growth.
Earlier, she spent over two years at Surgical Care Affiliates (SCA Health) as Senior Director of Human Resources, where she supported rapid M&A growth across more than 200 ambulatory surgical centers. She created SCA’s first formal talent review process, optimized onboarding, and reduced talent acquisition costs by 30%, improving overall engagement and operational efficiency.
Wanda’s earlier leadership roles include Director-level positions at Cole-Parmer (formerly part of Thermo Fisher Scientific), Thermo Fisher Scientific, and Cardinal Health, where she spent a decade driving HR operations, acquisition integration, and organizational redesign. She consistently brought stability and innovation to HR during periods of ownership transitions, expansion, and digital transformation.
About Edwards Lifesciences
Edwards Lifesciences (NYSE: EW) is the global leader in patient-focused medical innovations for structural heart disease, critical care, and surgical monitoring. Serving patients in over 100 countries, Edwards thrives on discovery and pushing the boundaries of medical technology. With a global team spanning R&D, clinical affairs, engineering, and corporate functions, Edwards is dedicated to delivering life-changing innovations through evidence-based collaboration with clinicians and healthcare partners.
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